Sign mounting



J. G. FENWICK Jan. 10, 1967 5 IGN MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed July 6, 1965 INVENTOR: JAY G. FENWICK Jan. 10, 1967 J. G. FENWICK 3,296,725

SIGN MOUNTING Filed July 6, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

'JAY G. FENWICK United States Patent O 3,296,725 SIGN MOUNTING Jay G. Fenwick, Mundelein, Ill., assignor to Morton Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 6, 1965, Ser. No. 469,380 10 Claims. (Cl. 40-40) This invention relates to a sign mounting, and, more particularly, to a fitting adapted to support a sign in a retail store.

Store operators find it advantageous to provide signs supported by the framework of the counter, display case, rail or other essentially stationary part associated with the merchandise in question. These have an advantageous rigidity against inadvertent displacement, knocking down or removal. However, a problem has existed in that the signs are relatively topheavy so that a substantial anchorage has been required. This has not only been costly, but time-consuming to install or replace. Further, there is lacking a desirable versatility in placement, it being appreciated that sign location requirements change as merchandise changes.

Through the practice of the instant invention, an advantageously simple yet secure mounting is provided. The provision of such a sign mounting constitutes an important object of this invention. Other advantages and objects of the invention reside in the easy installability, ready removability, and relocatability of the mounting, the low cost in manufacture, and ease in stocking the same. Other objects and advantages of the invention may be seen in the details of construction and operation set down in this specification.

The invention is described in conjunction with the ac companying drawing, in \which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a frame utilizing the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 1A is an enlargement of the lower portionof the view seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a signpost supporting fitting constructed according to the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view such as would be seen along the sight line 3--3 applied to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the frame of FIG. 1A and also showing a signpost installed therein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a counter or display case frame equipped with an opening somewhat diflerent from that shown in FIG. 1A, but featuring the FIG. 2 fitting installed therein;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the fittingequipped frame of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a frame analogous to that of FIG. 1A but equipped with a modified from of fitting;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the fitting in the process of installation;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fitting employed in the showings in FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another modified form of the inventive fitting;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view on enlarged scale of the fitting of FIG. 10 installed in a frame of the character seen in FIGS. 1A, 7 and 8.

In the illustration given and with particular reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally a frame portion which may be provided as part of a counter, display case, or the like. Upstanding from the frame 10 is a post 11 seen installed within a fitting generally designated 12. The post supports a generally rectangular frame 13 in which is positioned a card 14. The general arrangement of the frame 13 and post 11 is well known to those skilled in the art, the instant invention being concerned primarily with the lower anchorage or mounting of the post 11.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1A wherein the frame 10 is seen to have a side wall 15 and a top wall 16. The top wall 16 is equipped with an elongated slot 17. The details of the frame member 10 can be further appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 7 wherein the side walls 15 are seen to be interconnected by a solid bottom wall 18. As can be further seen from FIG. 7, the frame has generally a box section or rectangular shape in transverse section, the slot 17 providing an opening for the receipt of the fitting 12 (so designated in FIG. 1A, the fitting in FIG. 7 constituting a modification and being generally designated by the numeral 112).

The fitting 12 can be best appreciated from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the fitting 12 is seen to include a unitary body constructed of resilient material such as aluminum or plastic. In the illustration given, the fitting 12 is hatched for aluminum. The resiliency referred to can be appreciated from a comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein the fitting is deformed for insertion into the frame 10. There is present just enough given resiliency in the fitting 12 so as to permit it to be snapped into place and thereafter return to original configuration to maintain its firm seating.

Once again referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the unitary fitting 12 includes a bottom wall 19 adapted to be disposed generally horizontally when in its operative condition. Integral with the bottom wall 19 are upstanding side walls or wings 20 and 21. In effect, the fitting 12 is a channel section. The spaced-apart, upstanding wings 20 and 21 define a longitudinally eX- tending slot 22, and it is within this slotmore precisely enlargements 23 and 24 thereofin which the post 11 is mounted (see FIG. 4). Now referring again to FIG. 3, it will be seen that each wing 20 and 21 is equipped at its upper end with laterally outwardly extending flanges 25 and 26, respectively. As can be appreciated from FIG. 1A, the flanges 25 and 26 are adapted to overlie the top wall 16 to support and stabilize the position of the fitting 12 within the frame 10. Aiding in this support are ribs 27 and 28 provided on each wing, spaced a short distance below the flanges 25 and 26 and which provide shoulders as at 29 and 30 for engaging the underside of the supporting frame. In this connection, reference is made to FIG. 6, wherein a frame 10 is shown with the fitting 12 supported the-rein. The frame can also be seen in FIG. 5 and is seen to differ from the frame 10 of FIGS. 1A and 4 in the character of the opening 117 which is adapted to receive the fitting generally designated 12. In FIG. 6, it is seen that the upper wall 116 is effectively clamped between the underside faces of the flanges 25 and 26 and the shoulders 29 and 30 provided by the ribs 27 and 28, respectively.

The manner in which the fitting is installed within the frame can be appreciated from a consideration and comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8. As mentioned previously, the frame 10 is shown in these views but in conjunction with a modified form of fitting, the fitting in FIGS. 7 and 8 being designated 112 and being shown in perspective view in FIG. 9. It will be appreciated that the modified form of fitting 112 is very similar to that designated 12 in FIG. 2 with the exception of the exterior walls of the wings 120 and 121. The wings 120 and 121 are equipped at their upper ends with flanges 125 and 126 analogous to the showing in FIG. 2.

Below the flanges 125 and 126, it is seen that the outer side walls of the wings 120 and 121 are equipped with shoulders 129 and 130 and which are spaced slightly below the flanges 125 and 126, respectively.

In operation, the fitting 112 is partially collapsed or distorted to the condition designated 112' in FIG. 8. There it is seen that the wings 120 and 121 are urged toward each other to facilitate insertion of the fitting 112 within the slot 17 of the frame 10. The side walls 120a and 121a of the wings 120 and 121, respectively, are outwardly flared (see FIG. 7), and once the deforming pressure is released, the fitting 112 snaps into a stable position as shown in FIG. 7. The insertion of the post 11 further spreads the wings 120 and 121 to immobilize the fitting in place. Prior to the insertion of the post 11, the fitting 12 or 112 may he slid along the slot 17 to any desired location. Likewise, when merchandise is changed, the sign relocation without removal is made possible. Further aiding in the stabilization of fitting 112 are ribs 31 and 32 provided on the bottom wall 18 of the frame 10. These are received with longitudinallyextending recesses 133 and 134, respectively, provided in the bottom or lower portion of the fitting 112. Here, it will be appreciated that the ribs 31 and 32 cooperate with the wall 16 in maintaining the fitting 112 within the slot 17.

A somewhat modified form of the fittings 112 and 112 can be seen by reference to FIGS. and 11, wherein the inventive fitting is designated by the numeral 212. Again, the fitting 212 is een to be positioned in the frame 10 much like the showing in FIG. 7. The fitting 212 differs in two respects from the fitting 112 of FIG. 9. It will be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 9 and 10 that the fitting 212 is equipped with side ribs 227 and 228 which define the shoulders 229 and 230, respectively. In this respect, the FIG. 10 showing is like that of FIG. 2. The fitting 212 differs from both the fittings 12 and 112 in the character of the bottom portion, which is seen to be recessed as at 235 to provide spaced-apart legs 236 and 237. The legs 236 and 237 are seen to straddle the ribs 31 and 32 provided in the bottom wall 18 of the frame 10, thereby providing an advantageous additional stabilization for the post-carrying fitting 212 (see FIG. 11).

While, in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of the invention has been given for the purpose of explanation, many variations in the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A sign mounting, comprising a frame providing an acces opening in the top thereof, a press fitting inserted into said opening, said fitting being generally U-shaped in vertical section to provide upstanding wing portions and constructed of resilient material, said wing portions being equipped with lock means for engaging said frame, and a sign-equipped post mounted in said fitting, the engagement of said post with said wing portions urging said 4 wing portions into locking engagement with said frame.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said locking means includes a horizontal flange on each wing portion adjacent to the top thereof and a shoulder spaced vertically below said flange on each wing portion.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said frame includes a hollow, generally box-shaped section providing said opening and a bottom wall space therebelow, said post extending through said fitting and engaging said bottom wall of said section.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said frame includes a hollow, generally box-shaped section providing said opening and a bottom wall space therebelow, said fitting engaging the bottom wall of said section.

5. The structure of claim 2 in which each wing portion is equipped with a horizontal rib providing said shoulder.

6. The structure of claim 2 in which said frame includes a hollow, generally box-shaped section providing said opening and a bottom wall spaced therebelow, said bottom wall being equipped with upstanding ribs, and said fitting being equipped with rib-engaging parts on the bottom thereof in engagement with said ribs.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said rib-engaging part include longitudinally-extending recesses.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which said rib-engaging parts include longitudinally-extending legs.

9. A fitting for mounting a merchandise sign-post, comprising a unitary body constructed of resilient material, said body being generally U-shaped and defining thereby a base portion adapted to be generally horizontally disposed when in operative position and integral upstanding wing portions, each of said wing portions at its upper end being equipped with a laterally outwardly extending integral flange adapted to overlie a supporting frame when the remainder of said fitting is positioned within an opening in said frame, each of said wing portions on the surface thereof confronting the other wing portion being equipped with a vertically-extending recess adapted to receive said post.

10. The structure of claim 9 in which each of said Wing portions i equipped with a horizontally-extending shoulder in the outer surface thereof and spaced below the flange provided on said wing portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,862,776 6/ 1932 Timberlake 40152.l 2,775,221 12/1956 Olson 40-125 2,865,124 12/1958 Mortellito 40125 2,914,874 12/1959 Stein 40-425 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SIGN MOUNTING, COMPRISING A FRAME PROVIDING AN ACCESS OPENING IN THE TOP THEREOF, A PRESS FITTING INSERTED INTO SAID OPENING, SAID FITTING BEING GENERALLY U-SHAPED IN VERTICAL SECTION TO PROVIDE UPSTANDING WING PORTIONS AND CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, SAID WING PORTIONS BEING EQUIPPED WITH LOCK MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID FRAME, AND A SIGN-EQUIPPED POST MOUNTED IN SAID FITTING, THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID POST WITH SAID WING PORTIONS URGING SAID WING PORTIONS INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FRAME. 